Results 5,901-5,920 of 25,799 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (1 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant was launched under the Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund to support bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use. A grant of up to a maximum of €50,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (1 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department provides funding directly to Local Authorities for capital investment in water services infrastructure through the Multi-annual Rural Water Programme and Developer Provided Water Services Infrastructure Resolution Programme. Details of funding I have approved under these programmes are available at the following links: www.gov.ie/en/circular/cf807-circular-l219-approval-of-schem...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (1 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. Many areas of cities, towns and villages of all sizes face the blight of vacant properties, which, if brought back into use, could add real vibrancy and provide new accommodation in those areas. While the reasons for vacancy are often complex, the re-use and regeneration...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (1 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I refer to the reply to Question No. 206 of 26 October 2023 which sets out the position on this matter. The position remains unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (1 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended, prescribe maximum net income limits for each local authority in different bands according to the area concerned, with income defined and assessed according to a standard Household Means Policy. The policy provides for a range of income disregards and local authorities have discretion to disregard income that is temporary,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: State Bodies (1 Feb 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 293, 294 and 295 together. Uisce Éireann was established as a company under Part 2 of the Water Services Act, (No. 6 of 2013) as a subsidiary of Ervia. The subsequent Water Services (Amendment) Act, (No. 39 of 2022) separated Uisce Éireann from Ervia and established it as the standalone national authority for water services. Uisce Éireann...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (31 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 71 to 76, inclusive, and 87 to 90, inclusive, together. The regeneration of Oliver Bond House sits within the parameters of the National Regeneration Programme which targets the country’s most disadvantaged communities; those defined by the most extreme social exclusion, unemployment and anti-social behaviour in accordance with Housing Circular N11/2007...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (31 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The National Planning Framework (NPF) in Ireland includes National Policy Objective 37, which mandates a Housing Need and Demand Assessment (HNDA) in each local authority area. The HNDA aims to ensure long-term strategic housing needs are met across all tenures, providing a robust evidence base to support decisions about new housing supply, investment, and housing-related services. Several...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Reports (31 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: In line with Programme for Government commitments, I established the Commission on Housing in December 2021 as an independent body to examine and evaluate Ireland's housing system, including issues such as tenure, standards, sustainability, and quality-of-life issues in the provision of housing. At the same time, I also tasked the Commission to advise the Government on the critical factors to...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Rental Sector (31 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 and specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation, natural light, fire safety and the safety of gas, oil and electrical supplies. These Regulations apply to all properties let or available for let,...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (31 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he or she is responsible. My Department oversees workforce planning for the local government sector, including the monitoring of local government sector employment levels. To this...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Vacant Properties (31 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant supports bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use. A grant of up to a maximum of €50,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence and for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (31 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Section 45(5) of the Local Government Act 2001 (as amended) provides that a local authority may, by standing orders, regulate the right of members of the public and members of the media to be present at meetings of the local authority. This provision includes the making, by standing orders, of rules in relation to the recording or relaying of the proceedings as they take place or at a later...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (30 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Emergency Refurbishment (Ukraine) Programme comprises two delivery strands, one of which is focused on buildings in public ownership and the other which supports owners of private buildings to refurbish them to the appropriate standard as per guidelines from my Department. These guidelines are available on my Department's website at this . Private owners can upload their properties for...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Schemes (30 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme is open to eligible tenants of local authority houses that are available for sale under the scheme. The scheme is underpinned by the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 and the Housing (Sale of Local Authority Houses) Regulations 2015. The 2015 regulations were amended by the Housing (Sale of Local Authority Houses) (Amendment) Regulations...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Water Services (30 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The monitoring of operational standards in Uisce Éireann is a matter for which I have no function. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) is statutorily tasked with monitoring Uisce Éireann's performance in accordance with section 39 of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 (as amended). I have asked the CRU to respond directly on this matter. The CRU has a dedicated...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Local Authorities (30 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 317 and 318 together. The standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 and specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, sanitary facilities, heating, ventilation, natural light, fire safety and the safety of gas, oil and electrical supplies. These...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Contracts (30 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (30 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: Housing for All is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. This includes the delivery of 90,000 social homes, 36,000 affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in direct...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Staff (30 Jan 2024)

Darragh O'Brien: My Department does not generally keep a record of qualifications held by staff members, and accordingly there may be staff working in various roles in the Department who have a qualification in quantity surveying but applied for different positions. However, we do currently have seven full-time quantity surveyors employed in the Department in roles where this is a requirement. There were...